## Bill Gates Withdraws from India AI Summit Amid Epstein Controversy
**New Delhi** – Speculation and controversy swirled around the India AI Impact Summit this week, culminating in the eleventh-hour withdrawal of Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates from his scheduled keynote address. The dramatic turn of events comes as new details emerge from the unsealed documents related to financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with whom Gates maintained a past association.
The Gates Foundation India announced Thursday that the billionaire would forgo his address, stating, “After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities.” A representative from the foundation is slated to deliver the address in his stead.
This official confirmation followed a period of conflicting reports. Earlier in the week, local Indian media outlets noted Gates’ removal from some summit publicity materials, fueling speculation about his attendance. Government sources subsequently briefed journalists, suggesting Gates was unlikely to participate. However, the Gates Foundation initially maintained that he would attend as planned, only to reverse course in a public statement on Wednesday.
When questioned about the developing situation on Tuesday, India’s Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, remarked that Gates’ attendance was a “personal choice” and that he had “no comment” on the matter. Representatives for the summit organizers and the Gates Foundation did not offer immediate further comment on the withdrawal.
The recent scrutiny of Gates intensified with the public release of millions of documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein, as mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. These newly revealed files reportedly include a draft email from Epstein suggesting he had facilitated extramarital affairs and sexual encounters for Gates, among other references to the tech mogul.
In a prior interview with Australia’s 9News, Gates addressed the allegations stemming from the unsealed documents, describing them as “absolutely absurd and completely false.” He reiterated that his interactions with Epstein were limited to discussions about potential philanthropic endeavors, asserting he “never went to the island” and “never met any women” in that context.
The India AI Impact Summit, held in New Delhi, has convened a notable roster of global technology leaders and policymakers. Attendees and speakers included Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI chief Sam Altman, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, alongside international figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The Gates Foundation itself has a significant history of investment in India, focusing on health and development initiatives, and has also supported AI-related projects within the country.
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